


Midway Between The End and The Start

by LastNameWriter85



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-03-13 08:48:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18937510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LastNameWriter85/pseuds/LastNameWriter85
Summary: Alex tries to deal with the aftermath and perhaps have a long over due conversation and put the past behind him.





	1. Chapter 1

The rain had stopped about an hour after Michael had dramatically left telling Alex they would speak tomorrow.

So Alex had sat in the trailer until the rain had stopped and the sky had gone grey around the edges.

He had moved to one of the lawn chairs haphazardly strewn about.

He peeked into the cooler sitting next to his chair. Four warm to the touch beers and three half empty bottles of acetone. He slammed it shut in frustration and refused to look at his watch.

The sun was well on it’s towards mid morning when he chanced a glance at the time. 9 am.

He had been waiting for a solid twelve hours now. Not too long the scheme of things, just perhaps to long be sitting as Alex attempted to stretch his hips from a seated position.

When a text alert came through, Alex rushed to dig his phone out his pocket.

It was from Maria.

Alex nearly tossed the thing across the whole god damn desert. He forcefully shoved his phone back into his pocket and completely ignored the subsequent alerts.

There was only person on the entire planet, in the entire universe that he wanted to speak to and he was going to sit in that one spot until it happened.

If Michael was going to punish him by making him wait, Alex didn’t blame in the slightest.

Over the next two hours he had ignored 5 phones calls and 25 texts from at least three different people.

Finished his entire morning physical therapy routine.

Washed every dish in the sink of air-stream and straightened up said air-stream.

Consolidated six different half empty bottles of acetone into three.

Tossed the recycling and trash and made the bed.

He sat on the newly made bed and removed his prosthetic for a solid half an hour.

It was as Alex had returned to sit outside that a call came in that had him answering the phone.

It was a call from the landline of the cabin. He was on his feet and halfway to his truck before he picked up the call.

“Manes! Where the hell have you been?!” came the loud and breathless voice of one Kyle Valenti.

“Kyle, what?” Alex started before he is quickly interrupted.  
“We’ve got an all hands on deck five alarm fire happening man. Where the hell are you?”

Alex glanced around and decided there was no way in hell he’d admit to Kyle that he’d been sitting around waiting for Micheal for sixteen hours.

“I’m on my way.”

When Alex pulled up to the cabin it’s not at all what he expected.

Four vehicles in his driveway all of which he recognizes, Michael's truck is one of them which is equal parts annoying, vaguely explanatory as to why Alex had been sitting around for so long and terrifying.

Whatever had sent Michael in a wild eyed rush last night must have been worse than any of the scenarios he had tried not the think about.

When he entered the cabin Alex quickly assessed the situation.

Max was extremely pale but breathing laid out on the couch. Isobel, perched on the coffee table with her back to the door and Max’s hand in hers.

Michael paced back and forth in front of the fireplace tearing at his curls with two completely scar free hands which hit Alex like a punch to the gut.

Kyle tried to step in front of him before he noticed the person coming out of his kitchen with a tray with three cups of coffee and five bottles of acetone.

He didn’t make it.

Rosa Ortecho glanced over and smiled at him before she turned back to help Liz bring out another few bottles of acetone.

Situation assessed Alex nodded, turned and walked back outside and closed the door behind him.

 

Pulling out his phone Alex decided that maybe it would be worth taking a moment to check his messages.

He ignored the three from Maria without reading them. Whatever she had to say could wait.

The rest of the texts are from Kyle trying to figure out where he is and if they can head to the cabin and when he can get there.

A few are from Liz saying that Max was hurt and that he needed to get there.

The voicemails were all from Michael's number and each one was 45 seconds of silence before it was hung up.

Alex deleted all the messages and returned his phone to his pocket.

He knew he’d have to go back in there sooner or later.

First thing, the conversation Michael and he needed to have could be back burnered for the time being.

Second, Max was unconscious but seemed stable.

Third, Rosa Ortecho risen from the dead was obviously the biggest issue.

Hopefully.

“Hey Kyle?” Alex called from his chair.

“Yeah?”

“Is there anything else that should be brought to my attention?”

This question was met with a not an all reassuring silence.

“Kyle?” Alex prompted with a growl.

“I may have put your father into a medically induced coma.”


	2. Chapter 2

There was dead silence inside the cabin.

Alex burst into hysterical laughter.

Of course the first time Michael is in the cabin his brother is unconscious on the couch.

So naturally bringing a girl back from the dead, the death of whom had lead to the three alien teenagers to carry the guilt and trauma of her death and subsequent cover up for a decade obviously lead to Max having to bring himself to the brink of death.

The man who had been tracking, capturing, torturing and experimenting on a group of being who had crashed on the planet sixty seven years ago and lead directly to the death of all of those being and the death of Michael’s mother, who had spend her entire life on earth less than an hours drive away from a son who needed her more than anything.

A man who had forced Alex to live in fear every day of his life, was responsible for the death of the father of Alex’s childhood friend and drove away the one thing that Alex loved in the entire goddamn cosmos, was in coma in a bunker where he had been orchestrating the whole thing.

Then there were the smaller details.

One of Alex’s best friends was back from the dead and hadn’t aged a day in ten years, the only remaining deputy sheriff of a town with a population of roughly fifty thousand was half dead, a high ranking military officer was comatose and that seemed to be the whole of it.

Hopefully.

“Is that everything?” Alex asked through sporadic giggle.

“Umm, We caught the fourth alien. It was Noah. Max apparently electrocuted him with lighting.” Kyle informed him from behind the door. “But he’s already been brought to the morgue and his death has been ruled an accident.”

Well at least that was one problem solved.

Alex took a deep breath and made himself calm. He scrubbed his face roughly with his hands and stood.

Inside each member of their rag tag group was seated and held a cup of coffee or in Max’s case, continued to sleep peacefully.

They seemed to have all decided at allow Alex to wrap his head around the current problems and wait for him.

This did not seem like a good sign.

Alex sighed. “I assume that no one has a plan?”

They all nodded.

“Alright. Our immediate problem are the two people currently unconscious whose absence will be noted sooner rather than later.”

Rosa snorted. “Oh sure the freshly raised revenant is just an afterthought huh?”

Alex covered his face with his hand in frustration. “I truly had forgotten what a pain in the ass you are Ortecho.”

She held her coffee mug up in a toast and gave Alex a cheeky grin.

One issue that the could solve in the short term was Max.

“Isobel,” Alex began.

She looked up slowly from where she had kept her eyes glued on her brother.

“I want you to take Max to your place and call Chief Valenti. Your going to tell her that Max exhausted himself looking for Noah. Tell her that Kyle looked him over and agreed that Max should get some rest for at least 48 hours. Kyle can confirm if she asks about it. That should buy us some time on that front.”

Isobel nodded in agreement and went back to looking at Max.

“What are we going to do about your Dad?” Liz asked from the armchair she was sharing with Rosa.

All eyes turned to one Kyle Valenti.

They all knew that Major Sergeant Jesse Manes would happily and without hesitation put a bullet in each of their respective skulls.

Perhaps even more so now.

“Major Sergeant Jesse Manes was found unresponsive but alive at the bottom of ten foot ladder that he had appeared to have been using to clean the gutters of the tool shed on his property by EMT’s. A neighbor reported seeing the Major Sargent on the ground around 9am this morning. He’s checked into intensive care with what his attending physician.”

Kyle pointed at himself.

“As well as the paperwork says is severe concussion. I had planned on keeping him comatose.” Kyle told them.

Again silence rang out among the group.

“Holy shit Valenti.” Michael was the first one to speak. “I’m a little impressed.”

“Thanks Guerin.” Kyle replied with an eye roll.

“As adorable as it is to watch you two become friends,” Isobel spoke as she stood up.

She seemed to be back to herself now that they had a plan to be moving forward with. “I’m going to need a hand getting Max to my car and into my house for that matter.”

Kyle leapt up. Together he and Isobel hoisted Max between them and started taking him out to her car.

“Thanks Alex.” Liz stood and hugged him before she followed them, carrying Max’s boots, wallet and phone.

Alex turned to Rosa who was still seated with her feet curled up underneath her.

“You can used the guest room if you need some rest.” Alex told her with a smile.

“Thanks but I think I’ll commandeer your shower for awhile Manes.” Rosa stood up and with a wave at him, headed down the hall toward the bathroom.

And then there were two.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for sticking with this! I am still working out it! More out soon!

The gravitational pull that was always present whenever they’re anywhere near each other had Alex flicking his eyes over toward where Michael stood stock still in front of the fireplace. 

Michael's hair was more of a mess than usual, the riot of curls stuck out at every imaginable angle. 

A smattering of dried blood still stuck to his neck just below his ear reminded Alex to get clarification as to exactly who's blood he had been covered in, even if Alex had a pretty good idea as to the answer. 

“Where were you?” Michael asked voice laced with curiosity. 

Alex sighed and rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. “I was waiting for you back at the   
air stream.” 

Michael looked taken aback. He studied Alex as long looking for a sign of pain or a lie. His eyes widen as he found neither of these things. 

“Alex,” Michael began as he took a step forward. 

Alex held up a hand, knowing full well if Michael got any closer they wouldn’t talk. At all. For awhile. 

“I’m not going to fight my father’s battles anymore. I have to take a stand. I’m bullshit. My father has beaten me physically and emotionally everyday of my goddamn life! I never say anything! I let him beat you with a hammer Guerin!” 

Alex was unsure when he started to shout. He ran a hand through his hair in agitation. 

“Well he’s not the problem, I’m the problem. I gotta take a stand against him. I am not gonna sit on my ass as the events that affect me unfold to determine the course of my life. I’m gonna take a stand. I’m gonna defend it. I’m tired of being afraid, of running away. I want to look in the mirror and see myself! To know that I deserve you.” 

Michael crossed the room in two long strides and pulled Alex into his arms. Alex allowed himself a moment to sink into the golden honey of Michael’s embrace. He knew there was still one more thing he needed to tell Michael but he needed this moment. Alex sighed before he spoke. 

“When I left after you had shown me the console, it wasn’t because it was too much or I was afraid of you. It was hearing you say that you wanted to leave. I found something here. Jim Valenti had a piece of it hidden in this cabin. I wanted to give it to you but I just couldn’t.” 

Michael had gone stiff in his arms as Alex spoke. Thus he plowed on taking solace in the fact that he hadn’t been pushed away. 

“Jim also figured out the language that’s written on it. I’ve put together a linguistics algorithm to be able to translate the symbols.” 

Michael chuckled. “Are you fucking kidding me Alex. Is there anyone in close vicinity who doesn’t know about the alien thing?” 

“It’s about six people give or take.” 

“So pretty much just the rest of the parents and Deluca then huh?” 

“Pretty much.” 

Neither one of them had moved out of the embrace at any point during the conversation. The worst idea in the world seemed to be to step away from one another. Alex snuggled his chin against Michael’s shoulder. He felt the arms encircling him tighten as Michael sighed. 

“Were you really waiting at my trailer this whole time?” Micheal asked softly. 

“Did you really rush off to battle a telekinetic serial killer?” Alex contered with a growl. “And yes I was. Cleaned it up for you too.” 

Michael snorted. “Of course you did.” He leaned back to meet Alex’s eyes. “Max healed my hand by the way. I know you noticed.” 

Alex studied his face closely. Michael’s injury had hung like a cannonball around his neck since Jesse Manes had caught them. The first but certainly not the last time the best things in their relationship followed immediately by the worse thing. No more running, no more secrets. 

“I’m glad he did.” Alex smiled. 

Micheal brought both hands up to hold Alex’s face between them. Both whole and unblemished.   
“I’m not going anywhere Alex. We figure this out together.” 

Alex nodded and rested his forehead against Michael’s. “Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alex's speech has been lifted from the one of the best John Hughes' movie: Ferris Bueller's Day Off said by Cameron Frye


End file.
